Edwin Clark, a former commissioner of information, has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to declare a state of emergency in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states in view of the persistent terrorist attacks and insecurity in the areas.
Clark also urged the President to remove the governors of the affected states, saying their removal would make the war on insurgency meaningful and easy.
Clark made the call in an open letter he addressed to Abubakar Malami, the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, which he read to journalists at his residence on Monday, March 5, 2018, in Abuja.
He accused governors Bindo Jibrilla, Adamawa, Kashim Shettima, Borno, and Ibrahim Geidam, Yobe, of frustrating efforts of the Federal Government to end insurgency because of what he described as the governors’ selfish gains.
He said, “Buhari should declare a total state of emergency in Borno Yobe and Adamawa States. This will create a conducive atmosphere for the military to clear the remnants of Boko Haram.
“ The governors of Borno and Yobe states, in particular, are no doubt frustrating the effort of the Federal Government at bringing this unfortunate war to an end because of their selfishness and what they stand to gain from it.
“ It is a situation whereby the Federal Government is made to account for all the expenses and happenings in the North -East, where the state governments had made it difficult for the Internally Displaced Persons to live an ideal life both in the camp and in their homes .”
In the nine-page letter to Malami, Clark said that past governments of Tafawa Balewa and Chief Olusegun Obasanjo that were democratically elected, had in the past, taken such extraordinary measures to restore law and order to western Nigeria and Plateau State.
